{"id":638993,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/638993/?format=json","text_counter":242,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. (Ms.) Kajuju","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":840,"legal_name":"Florence Kajuju","slug":"florence-kajuju"},"content":"ensure that the letter and spirit of the Constitution is being satisfied by us ensuring that this Bill passes into law. It is an obligation on the State to ensure that we take legislative measures to ensure that this Bill is passed. We have had various decisions that have come before courts. The courts have made it clear that though we have a progressive Constitution, the belief is that real progress in society can only be realized if all citizens participate fully in governance. By passing this Bill today, we shall be ensuring that the voice of the woman is being heard in society. We do not only have to see it. Allow us also to voice that which we consider to be positive so that we can develop this country together. There are cultural challenges that women have had in this country. I thank the people of Meru County for voting for me. However, since 1974, we have never had a woman elected in Meru County. For 39 years, no woman had ever been elected until the affirmative action seat came to be. So, if it were not for this affirmative action, does it mean that the voice of the Meru women would not have been heard? I know we have various cultures that also operate in the same manner. In Kisii, there was no woman who had been elected until the affirmative action came to be. We need women to participate in all other circumstances. As the Chair of the Committee on Regional Integration, we believe that it is time the East African Community (EAC) integrated fully. As we speak about monetary union, customs union and a common market, we also need to see what our sister partners are doing in their countries. As we speak today, 64 per cent of the Rwandan Parliament has female legislators. In Tanzania, 36 per cent of all the legislators in that House are women, not forgetting the Vice-President of Tanzania is also a woman. In Uganda, 34 per cent of the legislators are women. That gives us a number of 133 female legislatures in the Ugandan Parliament. That tells you that our sister countries are way far beyond us. We are proud to have integration within the EAC. What we are asking for today is not going by the mathematics because we will not even be at 30 per cent. So, if we are integrating within the EAC, let us also integrate in terms of bringing on board our women so that we can all work together. Article 10 talks about national values and principles of governance. It talks about issues of inclusivity that every citizen of this country must be included in all spheres of life. We also talk about patriotism. We cannot purport to love our country if we do not love the other gender. We know that our men love us. They love us so much that they always give us what we want in our houses. However, they cannot tell us that they only love us in the House. Let them also love us here in Parliament."}